Tiger of the White Sun
''Tiger of the White Sun ''(Chinese: 越嶺), H. 21, is a 2017 war drama written and directed by Ryan Alexander Huang, starring Reed Campbell, Justin Chien, and Eddie Shan. Set in China during World War II, the film follows a stranded pilot of the American Volunteer Group who is escorted back to friendly lines by a divided squad of Chinese soldiers. Tiger of the White Sun is the most technically complex Flaming Gnome Studios production to date, featuring historically accurate military uniforms, firearms, and an airworthy P-40 Warhawk fighter plane. The film wrapped production in Minnesota and Los Angeles in August 2016 and completed post-production the following year in 2017. Plot The film opens in Hunan Province during the Second Sino-Japanese War in late 1941, four years after the Empire of Japan invaded China and shortly after the US entrance into World War II. A fighter pilot of the American Volunteer Group (the "Flying Tigers"), Ralph Schroeder (Reed Campbell), bails out of his P-40 Warhawk and into contested territory outside of Changsha. He is discovered by a small infantry squad led by the Yale-educated Captain Li (Justin Chien), accompanied by Lieutenant Chan (Eddie Shan), Warrant Officer Su (Eddie Yu), Corporal Wong (Brandon Jonathan Wong), and Private Yen (Yao Xie). A debate ensues over whether the Chinese should escort Schroeder back to Allied lines or continue a critical reconnaissance mission. Chan opposes helping Schroeder, arguing that the safety of the city against imminent Japanese attack would be jeopardized. Li overrules him and decides to compromise by bringing Schroeder halfway to friendly lines. The group begins a march several miles through no-man's land, a journey strained by Chan's increasing resentment of Schroeder's presence. The situation ultimately comes to a head when Chan launches into a tirade against Schroeder in front of the other soldiers, accusing him of being a mercenary uninterested in helping the Chinese out of principle. Li is forced to draw his weapon on Chan, who quickly stands down. The group rests near a lake. Schroeder joins a comatose Chan by the water. Li reveals that Chan's family resides in the besieged city of Changsha, explaining his anxiety and urge to complete their original mission. Schroeder confesses to Chan that his true motivation for joining the AVG was to escape his guilt after his brother died while saving Schroeder from drowning in Lake Superior. Chan and Schroeder share an understanding despite their language barrier, and Chan shows Schroeder a piece of jade that he keeps as a memento from his family. Schroeder and the Chinese near the city but are ambushed by a Japanese reconnaissance unit. A skirmish ensues. Schroeder runs out into the open to retrieve a wounded Yen, unaware that a Japanese soldier is stalking him nearby and preparing to fire at him. Chan rushes forward to draw the Japanese soldier's attention, and they shoot each other simultaneously. The rest of the Japanese troops retreat while Chan bleeds out in front of Schroeder. He urges the pilot to take the jade talisman from him before dying. Li and the remaining soldiers arrive at the outskirts of Changsha and say their farewells. Schroeder promises to return to the fight until the war is over. An epilogue notes that Chinese forces defeated the Japanese offensive in the ensuing third Battle of Changsha, resulting in the sole Allied victory in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Portraits of Schroeder and Li's infantry squad are then shown with text detailing their respective fates based off the stories of real-life combatants. Cast * Reed Campbell as Ralph Schroeder * Justin Chien as Captain Li * Eddie Shan as Lieutenant Chan * Eddie Yu as Warrant Officer Su * Yao Xie as Private Yen * Brandon Jonathan Wong as Corporal Wong Release ''Tiger of the White Sun ''was shown on February 16, 2018 at a private double screening with the White Deer Grotto co-production ''Reverallium. '' In late February, the film was awarded an Honorable Mention at the World War II Foundation's 2018 Normandia-World War II International Film Festival. It was selected to screen at the 2018 DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival. Category:Films